1. Field
The embodiments discussed herein relate to a carted rake wheel apparatus including an adjustment unit that allows a user to vary the windrow width.
2. Description of the Related Art
On a carted wheel rake, the raking width, raking wheel angle, and windrow width are important settings for the user. Current carted rake wheel designs have adjustments which allow the raking width, angle, and windrow width to be adjusted collectively, but not each independently. Because the rake wheels are all on one common beam, the width of the front wheel (raking width) and angle of the beam affects the position of the rear wheel (which defines the windrow width).
For example, to maximize the amount of material raked with a carted V rake, the rake is adjusted to make the V as wide as possible. This is done by moving the main beams longitudinally out away from the rake cart. This makes the V wide at the front, but also increases the width of the opening in the back (windrow width). In order to create a windrow that is able, for example, to be subsequently picked up with a harvester, current designs utilize the ability to adjust the overall angle of the main beam with respect to the direction of travel. Increasing the beam angle causes the front to get wider and the back to get narrower, which results in a narrower windrow. Although this is a solution in some conditions, in other conditions, such as heavy, wet crop, and/or windy conditions, a high rake wheel beam angle does not provide adequate raking quality. In these other conditions, the rake wheel beam angle needs to be reduced, and in order to achieve the desired windrow width, the overall raking width will need to be reduced as well.